recommended books 6 year olds

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50 best books for 6-year-olds

Whether you are looking for something to read aloud, or for independent readers to enjoy, here are our best books for 6-year-olds..

With so many books out there, navigating the world of children's literature can be overwhelming. Luckily, we've created a list of the best books for 6-year-olds. From enchanting adventures to heartwarming tales, this list offers a variety of books perfect for quiet afternoon reading or a bedtime story .

Victor the Wolf with Worries

By catherine rayner.

Victor is a wolf with a head full of worries. He worries about almost everything, from whether he’s brave enough, to what he’s going to have for dinner. One day, Victor shares how he feels with his friend Pablo, who helps him learn how to make his worries feel a little smaller. Giving children the tools they need to talk about and understand their worries, this book is a wonderful way to help young children talk about how they are feeling.

A Treasury of Ballet Stories

By caryl hart.

This beautifully presented collection of four stories, each based on a classical ballet is the perfect gift for any ballet-loving girl or boy. From sleeping princesses and sugar plum fairies to majestic swans and magical firebirds, young dancers will love recognising the characters in the book’s gloriously illustrated pages. With a special gold foil cover and vibrant colour throughout, this book will be treasured for years to come.

The Nutcracker

Alex T. Smith

The Grumpus

How Winston Came Home for Christmas

How Winston Delivered Christmas

Aziza's Secret Fairy Door

Lola Morayo

Aziza's Secret Fairy Door and the Ice Cat Mystery

Aziza's Secret Fairy Door and the Birthday Present Disaster

Aziza's Secret Fairy Door and the Mermaid's Treasure

You can do anything, tyrone, by sir lenny henry.

When Tyrone starts to build a rocket ship to shoot him to the moon, everything seems to go wrong and he’s ready to give up. Luckily, his Grandad Cleveland steps in to teach him that sometimes, all you need to succeed is your imagination and the belief that you can do anything, no matter how tricky it seems. Celebrate the power of positivity in this illustrated story, written by national treasure, Lenny Henry .

Don't Miss

More children's books from Lenny Henry

The world of sylvanian families official guide, by macmillan children's books.

This beautiful gift book is packed with facts about the world of Sylvanian Families and the characters that live there. From the cosy cottages of Sylvanian Village to the Sylvanian Land amusement park, Freya the Chocolate Rabbit shows young readers around her world. With facts about each family, beautifully illustrated maps and an original story, this book will be treasured by any young fan.

The Ogre Who Wasn't

Michael Morpurgo

My Heart Was a Tree

A Song of Gladness

Royal Animals

Julia Golding

Tumford the Terrible

Nancy Tillman

Tumford's Rude Noises

Long Walk to Freedom

Chris Van Wyk

We Want Our Books

Jake Alexander

Princess Mirror-Belle

By julia donaldson.

From Julia Donaldson and Lydia Monks, the creators of What the Ladybird Heard , comes this collection of six magical Princess Mirror-Belle stories. When Ellen meets Mirror-belle, a mischievous princess who appears out of mirrors and causes havoc, her life turns into a non-stop adventure! Designed to support the development of independent reading, the Princess Mirror-Belle books are packed with magic and mischief.

The Misadventures of Frederick

By ben manley.

Young Frederick’s sheltered life in his remote mansion is somewhat boring. But when Emily invites him to play outside, Frederick has to say no. After all, he needs to stay safe inside. But Emily refuses to take no for an answer and introduces him to the magic and wonder of the world outside his four walls. Told through the children’s hilarious letters to each other, this charming story of friendship is perfect for early readers.

Bill and the Dream Angel

Lucinda Riley

Rosie and the Friendship Angel

Alfie and the Angel of Lost Things

Grace and the Christmas Angel

The Snail and the Whale

Julia Donaldson

A Squash and a Squeeze

Room on the Broom

The Singing Mermaid

Constance in peril.

Doll Constance Hardpenny has led a long and difficult life, but when she is rescued from a rubbish bin by a little boy called Edward, it seems things are looking up. Instead, poor Constance suffers a series of calamities, from being left in the rain to being used as a chew toy by the neighbour’s dog. Will she ever have the serene tea-party-filled existence her doll-dreams are made of? From the creators of The Misadventures of Frederick comes Constance in Peril , a fantastically funny story .

Astrid and the Space Cadets

By alex t. smith.

By day Astrid Atomic is a normal 6-year-old human. But when she goes to bed at night, she doesn’t stay there sleeping soundly. Instead, she jets off on the spaceship Stardust to explore outer space! A brand new series from the author-illustrator of the Claude series, Astrid and the Space Cadets is an adventure designed especially for newly confident readers to enjoy independently.

Milly-Molly-Mandy Stories

Joyce Lankester Brisley

More of Milly-Molly-Mandy

Further Doings of Milly-Molly-Mandy

Milly-Molly-Mandy Again

Through the Looking-glass and What Alice Found There Festive Edition

Lewis Carroll

The Night Before Christmas in Wonderland

Carys Bexington

The Little Prince

Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

Albert Talbot: Master of Disguise

Charlotte's web, by e. b. white.

Fall in love with Fern, Charlotte and all their friends on the farm in this deeply touching story by E .B. White. When Fern’s uncle declares that her favourite little pig, Wilbur is going to be taken from the farm and sold for meat, Fern and her animal friends devise a plan to save him. A true classic , Charlotte’s Web has helped young readers all over the world fall in love with the magic of reading.

Isadora Moon Goes to School

By harriet muncaster.

Isadora Moon isn’t like other children, and that is exactly what makes her special! With a vampire for a dad and a fairy for a mum, Isadora is a bit of both. But when it is time for her to start school, she’s not sure where she belongs. With easy-to-decode sentences and black and pink illustrations to support comprehension, the Isadora Moon books are a wonderful introduction to chapter books.

William's Wonderful Plan and Other Stories

Martin Jarvis

William's Birthday and Other Stories

The Teddy Robinson Storybook

Joan G. Robinson

Teddy Robinson meets Father Christmas and other stories

Animal Stories for 6 Year Olds

Helen Paiba

Bedtime Stories for 6 Year Olds

Magical Stories for 6 year olds

Funny Stories for 6 Year Olds

You may also like, 50 best books for 5-year-olds, 100 best children's books to read in 2024, 100 best classic children's books for all ages.

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The 15 best books for 6 year olds (2024 buying guide).

Updated 30th December 2021.

At the age of 6 your child will now be regularly bringing books home from school, which you are encouraged to read with them. Listen to your child patiently and don’t forget to be impressed with their efforts!

Unlike books at an earlier age , they will be using phonics to decode complex work, blending letters to work out unfamiliar words, and expanding their vocabulary on what can seem an almost daily basis. Progress often comes thick and fast at this magic age. It’s not unusual for a six-year-old to learn five new words every day.

So what do you look for in getting the best books for 6 year olds? In this guide, we'll go over the key considerations as well as our reviews of 15 of the best books for you to buy. Happy reading.

What to consider when buying books for 6 year olds

Whether for boy or girl, once your 6 year old is familiar with a certain piece of text, and can read it smoothly, encourage your child to read the passage with expression. Adding emotion to reading helps children appreciate stories and fall in love with them. Beyond that there are some key considerations for what makes a great 6 year old book:

•  1: Regular reading . At this age, it's important that you continue to read to your child regularly. Snuggle up on the sofa and enjoy the experience together. That may be easier and more enjoyable than ever, as you start introducing some old childhood favorites of your own into the mix.
•  2: Multiple chapters . At six, many children can follow stories that continue over multiple chapters (and are read over multiple bedtimes). They are simply happy to listen and become immersed in the story, and no longer always need pictures to help fire their imaginations.
• 3: Follow and read . Buying or borrowing books for six-year-olds should be a combination of stories they can follow on the page and perhaps read themselves, and longer, more complex stories that they can simply enjoy listening to. You might even incorporate new hobbies like stargazing into how you can create better reading experiences.

The 15 best books for 6 year olds

   1.    the puffin book of stories for six-year-olds.

Editors Review

“There’s a Martian in a supermarket, and a monkey in a heap of trouble, among many other entertaining tales.”

A selection of great stories from celebrated children’s authors, specially selected for six-year-olds.

• Nicely pitched for children to read alone or have read to them.

ANY ISSUES?

• Some of the stories stray onto the gruesome side!

   2.    The Dinosaur's Diary  

“More advanced readers may enjoy reading the story themselves, but all children will be immersed in the tale of a dinosaur in the modern world."

A lovely story from Gruffalo author Julia Donaldson about a time travelling dinosaur.

• Told with the author’s usual skill.
• We've found it works particularly well with a dinosaur toy nearby too!
• Fewer pictures than previous Julia Donaldson books - but it is aimed at older children.

Check out Jon and Raife's review of The Dinosaur's Diary here.

   3.     Funny Stories for 6 Year Olds

“The sort of stories you’ll read to your child, who will then dip back in whenever they feel like a funny story.”

Humour is a great way to get kids reading, and this collection is packed with it.

• A good, varied selection.
• Some of the stories are gently amusing rather than laugh-out-loud.

   4.     The Boy Who Grew Dragons

“This prizewinner is a warm, funny and character-full instant classic”

Dragons grow on trees, and when they hatch, well, they’re a handful.

• Imaginative and magic.
• An Amazon number 1 best seller.
• The story is quite simple - but charming.

Check out Jon (and Raife!)'s review of The Boy Who Grew Dragons here .

   5.     I Can Read! Oxford Poetry for 6 Year Olds

“ Great poems specifically chosen to support the requirements of the National Curriculum.”

Introduce your children to the joys of poetry with this fun and accessible collection.

• Poems are a great way to instill a love of word, sounds and themes, and this collection ticks all the right boxes.
• For some kids poetry will always be a chore rather than a pleasure, whatever the source.

   6.     Timmy on the Toilet

“ Funny, entertaining and easy to read. ”

Timmy saves a fairy and, as his reward, is granted one wish. Which is where it all goes a bit wrong…

• Getting revenge on an awful teacher is always a nice touch…
• It may for some be too simple a story for a bedtime read, but it's great for kids to read on their own.

   7.     Whispers in the Wind

"A charming story of friendship, family and belonging."

Secrets, magic and plots in a forbidden forest.

• There’s a great mystery at the heart of this story.
• The story is whimsical and not for everyone, but many kids will love it.

   8.     Dear Hound

"A great story of love and loyalty, and rip roaring adventure to boot."

Alife the deerhound is lost, but Charlie will never give up looking for his beloved pet.

• Beautifully illustrated.
• And a lovely story that fits a number of life lessons.
• At 192 pages, it’s a serious read and perhaps too involved for basic readers.

   9.     Mummy Fairy and Me

"A funny, colourful tale of the unexpected."

When mum’s a fairy life is great...except when it isn’t.

• Very nicely judged for six-year-old readers: funny, absorbing, but not too long.
• Few pictures (the norm for this age group - but be warned).

   10.    Awesome Jokes That Every 6 Year Old Should Know!

"Every child should have a joke book."

Yep, it’s a joke book, and a good one. It will have your six-year-old in stitches.

• The jokes are generally way better than the Christmas cracker variety.
• An Amazon best seller.
• A few of the funnies fall flat.

Check out Jon and Raife's review of  Awesome Jokes Every 6 Year Old Should Know!

   11.    Dirty Bertie: Trouble!

“Dirty Bertie is something of a cult favourite, with nearly 30 more books in the series if your child likes this one.”

Three great stories featuring Dirty Bertie, the anti-hero with horrible habits.

• Bertie is filthy - kids will love it!
• An absolute cult classic.
• Correction: most kids will love it.

   12.    The Kitten Next Door  

“It’s written by Holly Webb, the queen of animal stories for children."

Sophia loves cats but her parents won’t let her have one. Then one day a kitten wanders through a gap in the garden fence…

• Beautiful illustrations of a very cute kitten.
• A story very much aimed at cat lovers.

   13.     The Hat Full of Secrets

“A delightful story of the bond between grandchildren and grandparents.”

Henry puts his secret under grandpa’s old hat - and finds a lot more.

• A story of memory and imagination, told with warmth and wit.
• Great illustrations on every page, but more advanced readers may want more text.

   14.     Rain Before Rainbows  

“A girl and a fox, a journey from darkness to light, and a beautiful story.”

Many kids - like adults - may have had a hard time recently. This is a book about hope and optimism, even in the gloomiest times.

• The dreamlike illustrations.
• It may be too short for some readers.

   15.     Midge and Mo

“ We all have to face a new beginning sometimes, and this heartwarming story is about overcoming fears.”

Midge has to go to a new school, and Mo wants to be his friend. But Midge is a hard nut to crack.

• A well judged mix of pictures and words for six-year-old readers.
• Poignant, warm, but not a barrel of laughs.

How to read to a 6 year old

Don’t be afraid to share more complicated plots and longer stories with your six-year-old. If you’re doing the reading, immerse yourselves in meatier books that take a few days to get through. There's a few key things to do when reading to a 6 year old: 

• Read with expression and convey the excitement of the story.
• When you’re finished, talk through the story, asking your child what they liked and what they didn’t.
• Make sure you keep it fun, and don’t persevere with books your child clearly isn’t enjoying.
• Remember, the books your child will be reading as learning tools at school at this age are likely to be quite simple and dull. That makes reading time with you even more important. Stories that fire their imaginations will ensure their love of books and reading remains as strong as ever. 

The 15 Best Books For 5 Year Olds (2024 Buying Guide)

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The 50 Best Books for 5- and 6-Year-Olds

By melissa taylor.

There’s so much happening with 5- and 6-year-olds. They’re learning to tie their shoes, practicing cutting out shapes with scissors, some are even ready to ride a bike. There’s a big continuum of development at these ages, and that applies to children’s reading development, too. Some kids are not yet ready to read, while others are reading independently. And that’s as it should be, according to both developmental and literacy experts.

No matter where your child is on this developmental continuum, here you’ll discover the best books to encourage their love of reading. Each book has been carefully selected by our group of experts .

Since we also think that finding books in a series is like discovering buried treasure, we’ve put asterisks next to the titles that are part of a larger series.

So whether your 5- or 6-year-old is building their reading foundation with picture books or reading chapter books on their own, here are our go-to books to entice, entertain, and educate.

Heading out to your local library or bookstore? You can download the full version of the list here.

uniE601 Shared Stories: Picture and Poetry Books  

Sharing a story with your child is always worth it. Whether they can read independently or not, reading aloud is a special experience. It also helps to build their literacy foundations and keep them engaged with reading.

It’s a good idea to keep picture books in the mix even as your child’s reading skills grow, as they offer kids a greater variety of reading choices and have a strong visual appeal.

This list of picture books contains a variety of genres, kid-appealing topics, captivating illustrations, and diverse characters. Best of all, they’re well written and kids love them.

Actual Size*

by Steve Jenkins

Born in the Wild: Baby Mammals and Their Parents

by Lita Judge

by Chris Gall

by Peter H. Reynolds

Duck! Rabbit!

by Amy Krouse Rosenthal and Tom Lichtenheld

Last Stop on Market Street

by Matt de la Peña, illustrated by Christian Robinson

Miss Nelson Is Missing

by Harry G. Allard Jr., illustrated by James Marshall

Over the Hills and Far Away: A Treasury of Nursery Rhymes

edited by Elizabeth Hammill

The Paper Bag Princess

by Robert Munsch, illustrated by Michael Martchenko

Pete the Cat: I Love My White Shoes*

by Eric Litwin, illustrated by James Dean

Piggie Pie!

by Margie Palatini, illustrated by Howard Fine

Shark vs. Train

by Chris Barton, illustrated by Tom Lichtenheld

The True Story of the Three Little Pigs

by Jon Scieszka, illustrated by Lane Smith

Where the Sidewalk Ends*

by Shel Silverstein

You Read to Me, I’ll Read to You: Very Short Fairy Tales to Read Together*

by Mary Ann Hoberman, illustrated by Michael Emberley

You Will Be My Friend!*

by Peter Brown

uniE601 First Books to Read Alone: Beginning Readers  

It’s exciting when your child starts to read! Now they’re learning sight words , or words to know at a glance, and the books they’re reading contain these words. At this stage, it’s helpful for them to read books that map to their background knowledge or areas of interest.

Beginning reading books start with a few simple words or phrases per page. As your child grows in their ability, the difficulty increases. The phrases become sentences and eventually paragraphs. Start with the easier beginning books first and adjust as your child progresses.

If you’re curious about the specific reading level of a book, you can check its level here  or ask your child’s teacher.

Ballerina Dreams: From Orphan to Dancer

by Michaela DePrince and Elaine DePrince, illustrated by Frank Morrison

Benny and Penny in Just Pretend*

by Geoffrey Hayes

Bink and Gollie*

by Kate DiCamillo and Alison McGhee, illustrated by Tony Fucile

Bathtime for Biscuit*

by Alyssa Satin Capucilli, illustrated by Pat Schories

Today I Will Fly!* (An Elephant and Piggie book)

by Mo Willems

Hi! Fly Guy*

by Tedd Arnold

Fly Guy Presents: Space*

Frog and Toad Are Friends*

by Arnold Lobel

George and Martha*

by James Marshall

Go, Dog. Go!

by P.D. Eastman

Good Night, Good Knight*

by Shelley Moore Thomas, illustrated by Jennifer Plecas

Henry and Mudge: The First Book*

by Cynthia Rylant, illustrated by Suçie Stevenson

Ling & Ting: Not Exactly the Same!*

by Grace Lin

May I Please Have a Cookie?*

by Jennifer Morris

Mr. Brown Can Moo! Can You?

by Dr. Seuss

One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish

Penny and Her Marble*

by Kevin Henkes

by Nic Bishop

uniE601 Reading Like the Big Kids: Early Chapter Books  

Chapter books are the Holy Grail for growing readers. Kids want so badly to be like the big kids. But don’t rush. Joy can easily turn to frustration if your child isn’t ready. When they are ready, we think they’ll devour these books.

We’ve vetted our list to include books with boys, girls, robots, magic, diverse characters, and child-friendly topics. Even better, all of these books are in a series. So if they like one, your child has more to read by the same author.

Baby Mouse #1: Queen of the World!*

by Jennifer Holm and Matthew Holm

by Nick Bruel

The Chicken Squad*

by Doreen Cronin, illustrated by Kevin Cornell

Clementine*

by Sara Pennypacker, illustrated by Marla Frazee

Dora Fantasmagory*

by Abby Hanlon

EllRay Jakes Is Not a Chicken*

by Sally Warner, illustrated by Jamie Harper

Gooney Bird Greene*

by Lois Lowry, illustrated by Middy Thomas

Magic Tree House #1: Dinosaurs Before Dark*

by Mary Pope Osborne, illustrated by Sal Murdocca

Mercy Watson to the Rescue*

by Kate DiCamillo, illustrated by Chris Van Dusen

Nikki & Deja*

by Karen English, illustrated by Laura Freeman

Princess in Black*

by Shannon Hale and Dean Hale, illustrated by LeUyen Pham

Ricky Ricotta’s Mighty Robot*

by Dav Pilkey, illustrated by Dan Santat

Ruby Lu, Empress of Everything*

by Lenore Look, illustrated by Anne Wilsdorf

Stink: The Incredible Shrinking Kid*

by Megan McDonald, illustrated by Peter H. Reynolds

Violet Mackerel’s Remarkable Recovery*

by Anna Branford, illustrated by Elanna Allen

Learn more about the experts behind this reading list.

Get the printable version of the list .

Explore our  50 Best series  to get great recommendations for other ages.

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The All-Time Best Book Series for 6-Year-Olds

These enthralling reads will turn your child into an avid reader..

Your first grader is at an exciting time in their lives as they move on from kindergarten and gain more independent reading skills. That’s where book series come in! 

As your child transitions from picture books to early chapter books , following a series is a great way for your family to continue reading aloud together  or for your child to practice independent reading on their own. 

It’s also helpful to keep your child’s reading level in mind, whether they’re a voracious or a striving reader. Knowing where your child stands on their reading journey can help you encourage them to choose the right books, which will boost their confidence in their own abilities. This will create excitement about reading and motivate them to keep following book series. 

Here are some of the top book series for 6-year-olds:

Press Start! : Readers will love joining Super Rabbit Boy on his wild adventures through his very own video game! Your child will be on the edge of their seat as Super Rabbit Boy defends Animal Town from wicked foes and saves the day.

Unicorn and Yeti : This adorable series about an unlikely friendship between a big fluffy yeti and a sparkly unicorn will warm your child’s heart. Filled with lessons about love and friendship , this series is perfect for new readers. 

Dragon Masters : Fantasy fans will immerse themselves in the colorful, mystical world of dragons and their respective powers. This thrilling series follows 8-year-old Drake, who is training to become a Dragon Master, tackling challenges and fighting evildoers along the way. 

Geronimo Stilton :  Introduce your reader to this action-packed series, following best-selling mouse author and adventurer Geronimo Stilton. Whether Geronimo is searching for lost treasures or catching a thief , these unforgettable tales will be sure to keep your child flipping pages.

Who Would Win? : Animal lovers will be eager to dive into this fact-filled nonfiction series about the fiercest creatures in the animal kingdom. Using information about each animal's physical attributes, nearest relatives, survival tactics, and more, readers can predict who would win in the battle.

Unicorn Diaries : Readers meet Bo Tinseltail, a colorful wish unicorn who has the power to grant wishes. As Bo takes on tasks, he learns about his strengths, makes new friends, and finds his courage — inspiring your child to do the same. 

Eerie Elementary : In this spooky series, the children at Eerie Elementary have a school that’s alive and hungry for students! Your child will love joining Sam and his friends as they navigate going to school (all while trying to not get eaten). 

Magic Tree House : Captivate your growing reader with the award-winning series, Magic Tree House. These spellbinding books take kids back in time as the two siblings, Jack and Annie, adventure through history with the help of their magical tree house.

The Black Lagoon : Your child will have a good laugh reading this hilarious series, which addresses common school-aged kid problems, like standing up to bullies and dealing with a scary and mean gym teacher . 

Shop more great series for 6-year-olds below! You can find all books and activities at The Scholastic Store . (Here are more  children's books by age  selected by Scholastic editors.)

For more quick tips and book recommendations, sign up for our Scholastic Parents newsletter!

You'll also get 10% off your first order at the Scholastic Store Online.

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13 Best Books For 6 Year Olds to Read

By: Author Megan Bidmead

Posted on Published: 23rd September 2023  - Last updated: 25th February 2024

Categories Book Lists , Books

Looking for some of the best books for 6 year olds to read and enjoy? These 13 children’s books are a great place to start!

Fostering a love of books begins at a young age, and six-year-olds are at a tricky point in their development in terms of reading.

Most six-year-olds will be reading slightly longer and more complex books at this stage, but for those that struggle to enjoy reading alone, it’s important to find books that really appeal to them.

Finding books with a fun, silly sense of humour, exciting illustrations, and an action-packed storyline will be vital.

Six-year-olds still love snuggling up with their parents or carers at night to read together. This is a great way to tackle longer chapter books, and you can enjoy some longer adventures together this way.

If your child doesn’t get on well with fiction, you can try non-fiction instead: there are some beautifully designed books packed with facts that six-year-olds will find really interesting.

From children’s classics to reworked fairy tales, here are 13 books for six-year-olds that your child will love.

13 Best Books For 6-Year-Olds

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl

A classic for children of all ages, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is one of Roald Dahl’s most famous works.

In case you need a refresher, the main character Charlie Bucket is living in poverty with his parents and grandparents when he stumbles upon a Golden Ticket wrapped in a chocolate bar.

This ticket gains him exclusive access to Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory, and what follows is a magical (and bizarre) adventure.

This is a great story to share with a six-year-old: the humour is really silly, and the characters are so outrageous that they’ll enjoy being righteously indignant with you.

Roald Dahl’s work is iconic, and this particular story is perfectly pitched for primary school kids with a strong sense of justice.

Buy Charlie and the Chocolate Factory: Amazon | Audible

The Owl Who Was Afraid Of The Dark by Jill Tomlinson

The Owl Was Afraid Of The Dark by Jill Tomlinson is a sweet, lovely little story about an owl who is (unsurprisingly) a little bit spooked by the dark.

For an owl, this is obviously a problem! Pip won’t go hunting with his parents and embarks on a journey to discover all the good things about the nighttime.

This is a very comforting book. With soft illustrations by Paul Howard, it’s a beautiful book to share at bedtime and makes for a good choice for reluctant readers.

They can sit and listen to the story with their parents, grandparents, or carers, and it’s a nice way to spend time together at the end of a busy day.

Plus, it’s an excellent story for kids who are afraid of the dark.

Emerald and the Ocean Parade by Harriet Muncaster

From the super-popular author of the Isadora Moon and Mirabelle series comes Emerald and the Ocean Parade . This is a beautifully illustrated book about Emerald, a mermaid princess.

Muncaster’s books are designed with a stripped-back colour palette of usually two or three colours (for example, pink, white and black for Isadora Moon , or purple and black for Mirabelle ).

This book is printed in green, white and black, with Muncaster’s signature illustrations, packed with tiny details to enjoy.

Emerald doesn’t enjoy being a princess. She’s too wild, she hates wearing crowns, and she’s determined to do everything her own way.

Learning to be a princess won’t be easy, but Emerald will find a way to make it work. A beautiful gift for independent princesses everywhere.

The Little Prince by Antoine De Saint Exupery

The Little Prince is a classic children’s story and has been translated into over 180 languages. It’s magical, charming, sweet, and a must-share for parents and children across the globe.

It follows a prince visiting different planets and learning about life, friendship, grief, love, and more. It’s a sweet book about human nature and contains a lot of wisdom to share with children of all ages, not just six-year-olds.

RELATED: Books Like The Little Prince

There are many different versions of The Little Prince , including some gorgeous gift editions (the Macmillan Collector’s Library Edition is particularly lovely).

It would make a beautiful present for a Christening, birthday, or another special occasion, and it’s the kind of book you can save and pass on through the generations.

If you want to start collecting classic literature for children, this is a good place to start.

Peter Pan by JM Barrie

Peter Pan is another classic children’s story to add to the shelf! Again, there are some lovely versions to find (the MinaLima Edition is gorgeous and contains a lot of interactive elements, so will keep younger children occupied).

Peter Pan can fly, have adventures, and make friends, but he never grows up. Exploring the magical world of Neverland is a thrilling adventure for kids of all ages, especially those who quite like the idea of staying little for a bit longer.

Little ones will enjoy the larger-than-life characters, including the Lost Boys, Tinker Bell, Tiger Lily, and of course, the devious Captain Hook.

If you can get a nicely illustrated version, this will be a lovely story to share with your six-year-old at bedtime, especially if they’re a reluctant reader and would prefer to listen to a magical story instead.

Plus, it’s a nice one for Disney fans if they want to enjoy the original story.

Flat Stanley by Jeff Brown

If your six-year-old loves to laugh, they need to check out Flat Stanley . Stanley is a normal boy, until one day, a noticeboard falls on top of him. Now he’s flat, and navigating regular life has become a little more difficult.

Illustrated by Rob Biddulph (which may be a selling point if your kid enjoys the Draw With Rob videos on YouTube!), Flat Stanley is a fun character, and little kids will love hearing about his adventures.

Flat Stanley is the first book in a series, so if your child enjoys them, you can move on to the next few books too. There are a whopping twenty altogether, so that’s hours of fun to enjoy.

As your child gets older, they can start reading the series independently, too. (Unless you get into them, in which case, it’s a great excuse to keep the bedtime stories going for as long as possible!)

Supernan’s Day Out by Phil Earle

A must-read for silly, giggly kids everywhere, Super Nan’s Day Out is a really fun story for six-year-olds. With lively illustrations by Steve May, it’s a good story for any superhero fans.

Stanley visits the seaside with his Nan, along with the other residents of her care home. But it quickly goes pear-shaped as a series of events (involving plane crashes, fires, and robberies) start to unfold.

Stanley is a superhero, so he could step in, but then he’d have to reveal his big secret to Nan. Luckily, another superhero is ready to save the day instead.

The ‘big reveal’ will have kids in fits of laughter. It’s perfectly aimed at six-year-olds, and confident readers can tackle it themselves.

The sentences are spaced out enough to prevent it from feeling like an overwhelming task, but if your child is more reluctant to read independently, you can enjoy it together instead.

It’s also a nice one for children to enjoy with their own Nans!

Madam Squeaker by Pip Jones

Madam Squeaker is a sweet little book for six-year-olds to read to their parents or carers.

In Hollyhock House, mice can forage for food, but the Ruling Rats are everywhere, sealing food for themselves.

A tiny little mouse, Minetta, decides to take matters into her own hands. But first, she must learn to be brave, despite the fact that her voice is so small.

It’s a nice story with a good message about finding courage, and it’s empowering for little ones.

Madam Squeaker is a book in the Little Gems series; each book is designed to encourage even nervous readers to try it.

With widely spaced text, engaging illustrations, and the perfect format for smaller hands, these are a good collection to get hold of if you have a hesitant reader at home.

Fearless Fairy Tales by Konnie Huq and James Kay

Have you exhausted the classic fairy tales? You need this collection! Fearless Fairy Tales is a selection of stories for kids with a modern twist.

For example, Sleeping Brainy is a princess who longs not for a prince to come but to achieve her dream of becoming the Chancellor of the Exchequer.

Mouldysocks is a boy who just can’t keep up with his bathing routine.

And Trumplestiltskin is a little man obsessed with becoming rich. (That last one is a bit on-the-nose, admittedly, but it’s also hilarious.)

Fearless Fairy Tales is funny, and it’s not afraid to rewrite the rules of classic fairy tales. If you want something with more up-to-date morals, this is the one to go for.

Plus, it has some excellent illustrations, too. Perfect for six-year-olds (and their grown-ups) who are getting a little bored of Goldilocks and the Three Bears.

The Midnight Panther by Poonam Misty

The Midnight Panther is a gorgeous book.

Packed with the most incredible illustrations, the story follows Panther as he struggles to find his place in the world.

Panther feels inadequate compared to the other big cats – he’s not spotty, like Leopard, he’s not stripy, like Tiger, and he doesn’t have an amazing mane, like Lion.

So what makes Panther special?

Panther explores the jungle and discovers beauty in the darkness.

Up in the treetops, he gazes at the stars and contemplates what makes him strong and beautiful. It’s a gorgeous book with a lovely message, and it’s a great gift for six-year-olds.

Narwhal: Unicorn of the Sea! by Ben Clanton

If you want something different, it’s worth checking out Narwhal: Unicorn of the Sea! Formatted like a comic book, it’s bright, colourful, and easy to read even for little ones.

It has three short stories about Narwhals and a joke page (which is excellent for six-year-olds with a silly sense of humour, which is most of them).

Narwhal and Jelly are best friends, and they explore the ocean together. Children will learn actual facts about ocean creatures, but they’ll also enjoy a lovely story about two friends getting to know each other.

If your child doesn’t find their school books engaging, you could give this one a try. You might find that the change of format encourages them to keep trying, and if not, you can enjoy it together.

Superbat by Matt Carr

A fun and engaging picture book, Superbat is the story of a little bat learning to find his own strengths. Pat the bat’s friends are all amazing at flying in the dark, and they have incredible hearing.

But when Pat helps a family of mice, he starts to see himself as a superhero. Many six-year-olds still love a colourful picture book, and Superbat has a sweet message that kids of this age can relate to.

This is a great book for classrooms, but it’s also a lovely addition to a child’s bookshelf at home, too. The bold style makes it engaging for six-year-olds, even those with shorter attention spans.

Lots by Marc Martin

If you’re looking for a gift, Lots is a great choice. It’s a great book for children to experience the wonders of the world, from Hong Kong to Antarctica.

While it’s aimed at kids aged 3-6, it’s still detailed enough for those at the upper end of that limit to enjoy.

Every page is packed with beautiful illustrations and interesting facts, and it’s a good book to spark a discussion about the big wide world.

Lots is a lovely non-fiction book. If your child prefers facts over fiction, they’ll enjoy this book. Plus, it’s interesting for adults, too.

The downside is that the writing is not designed for six-year-olds to easily decode alone, but it makes a nice bedtime book for children and their parents/carers.

I hope this has helped you to find some new books for the six-year-old in your life! Children at this age are curious and keen to learn, and reading together is an amazing way to teach them about how the world works.

If you liked this post, check out these: Best Books for 1-year-olds Best Books for 2-year-olds Best Books for 3-year-olds Best Books for 4-year-olds Best Books for 5-year-olds Best Books for 7-year-olds Best Books for 8-year-olds Best Books for 9-year-olds Books Like The Little Prince Books Like Diary of a Wimpy Kid Books Like The Book Thief Books Like Artemis Fowl Books Like Dork Diaries

Megan Bidmead

Guest writer

Megan is a freelance writer based in Somerset, England. When she’s not writing about books, video games, and pop culture, she’s running around after her two kids and trying to squeeze in the occasional walk in the countryside.

Screen Rant

Fear street 4 is reviving an old horror trend that was perfected 48 years ago.

Fear Street: The Prom Queen is reviving an old horror trend that was perfect by a Stephen King movie in the 1970s, making it more exciting.

• Fear Street 4 is reviving an old horror trend that started with Stephen King's movie Carrie.
• A prom is a perfect horror movie setting, offering tension and no way out for characters.
• Fear Street 4 isn't a sequel to the trilogy, and it's based on R.L. Stine's The Prom Queen book.

More details about Netflix’s Fear Street 4 have been revealed, and it’s reviving an old horror trend that was perfected almost five decades ago. In 2021, Netflix brought R. L. Stine’s book series Fear Street to life with a trilogy, with each movie set in a different year: 1994, 1978, and 1666. However, they are all connected through the curse of Shadyside, the curse of Sarah Fier , and a series of mysterious murders. Thanks to the success of the trilogy, the world of Fear Street is now expanding with a fourth movie .

In 2023, a fourth Fear Street movie was officially announced to be in development, but the first real update arrived in March 2024. Netflix announced the official title for the project, Fear Street: The Prom Queen , along with the cast, which includes India Fowler, Chris Klein, Lili Taylor, and Katherine Waterston, and director Matt Palmer. Fear Street 4 will be set in 1988 , confirming that it’s not a continuation of the first trilogy, and it will follow the It Girls who want to be prom queen. Thanks to this, Fear Street 4 is reviving an old horror trend that started with a Stephen King movie.

Fear Street 4 Is A Prom Horror Movie - Which Carrie Perfected

Carrie was key in the history of prom horror movies..

Carrie tells the story of Carrie White (Sissy Spacek), a 16-year-old shy and quiet girl who lives with her fanatically religious and unstable mother.

Proms as the main setting of horror movies are not uncommon and have been used in the genre for decades, but the movie that perfected it was Carrie . Based on Stephen King’s 1974 novel of the same name, Carrie was released in 1976 and was directed by Brian de Palma. Carrie tells the story of Carrie White (Sissy Spacek), a 16-year-old shy and quiet girl who lives with her fanatically religious and unstable mother, Margaret (Piper Laurie). Because of this, Carrie is a loner and is bullied by her classmates, and she’s also oblivious to a lot of things that teenagers go through.

After an incident at gym class where Carrie got her first period and her classmates made fun of her, her longtime bully Chris Hargensen (Nancy Allen) plotted her revenge against Carrie. With the help of her boyfriend, she killed pigs to drain their blood into a bucket, which they would pour all over Carrie when she was crowned Prom Queen. Unfortunately, Chris’ plan succeeded and she publicly humiliated Carrie at prom , who unleashed Carrie's telekinesis and rage at Chris and the rest of the students.

Carrie is Stephen King’s first published novel, the first of his works to be adapted to film, and the one with more than one adaptation.

Carrie is considered as the best prom night horror movie, and as such, it inspired many others to follow its steps.

Carrie perfected the prom horror movie by having the prom being the place where the climax happens, without it taking over other areas of the story. Carrie is considered as the best prom night horror movie, and as such, it inspired many others to follow its steps. Among the most notable prom movies in the horror genre is 1980’s Prom Night , which follows a masked killer who stalks a group of teenagers as they prepare for their prom night. A modern example is Jennifer’s Body , which has now become a cult classic, but all of them owe a lot to Carrie.

Prom Night got a remake/reboot in 2008, but it holds a horrific 9% score on Rotten Tomatoes .

Why Fear Street 4 Being Set At Prom Is So Exciting

A prom is a perfect setting for a horror movie.

A prom is a contained setting for a horror story, thus enhancing the tension and giving a sense of there being no way out.

The Fear Street trilogy took a lot of inspiration from different horror movies, such as Scream , Halloween , Friday the 13th , Sleepaway Camp , and more, so it’s quite fitting that Fear Street 4 is taking inspiration from prom horror movies . A prom might not seem like a setting for a horror movie, but it actually has a lot of potential for good horror, generous amounts of blood, smart commentary, and more. A prom is a contained setting for a horror story, thus enhancing the tension and giving a sense of there being no way out.

Carrie , Prom Night , and other prom horror movies have proven that this seemingly innocent and safe event is a great scenario for a horror story, and thanks to it being a school event, it makes way for commentary on topics like bullying, discrimination, violence, and more. A prom setting will help Fear Street 4 stand out from the previous movies and be its own thing, even if it could potentially bring back characters from the trilogy.

Fear Street 4 Details Tease The Return Of The Trilogy’s Main Villain (But Not In The Way You Think)

Everything else we know about fear street 4, fear street 4 isn’t a sequel to fear street part 3: 1666..

Just like the trilogy, Fear Street 4 is based on one of Stine’s books, this time The Prom Queen.

Aside from its cast, director, and title, little is known about Fear Street: The Prom Queen so far. Just like the trilogy, Fear Street 4 is based on one of Stine’s books, this time The Prom Queen , but it’s unclear how loyal to the book the movie will be. The plot description given by Netflix reveals Fear Street 4 will see the girls competing for the title of Prom Queen until an outsider gets nominated and the girls start mysteriously disappearing . Fear Street: The Prom Queen will start filming on March 25, 2024, but it doesn’t have a release date yet.

Fear Street 4

Following Netflix's Fear Street trilogy, the streamer announced in November 2023 that a fourth film was officially in development. Fear Street 4 will adapt one of R.L. Stine's standalone Fear Street Novels.

60 Best 5th Grade Books in a Series (for 10 Year Olds)

I f you’re looking for good 5th grade books in a series, these top  middle grade  book series for 10- to 11-year-olds are great for every interest.

Once you get a 5th grader hooked on a series, you will be delighted to watch as they continue reading and reading and reading. Because there’s nothing like a good book series with a kazillion books in it…or every a book series with just a few. Knowing there are MORE books to read makes our 5th grade readers happy. (And the adults that care about their reading lives.)

You’ll find fiction books in all genres, from fantasy books to historical fiction books about World War II. This list includes the Harry Potter series, too. (I included here because the reading level is around 5th grade level.)

See ALL my book recommendations for 10-year-olds, 5th graders,  here .

You Might Also Like: 4th-grade list and 6th-grade list

Go to: BOOK SERIES RECOMMENDATIONS FOR ALL AGES

Download a printable list for free using this form…

Best 5th Grade Books in a Series for 10-Year-Olds

The Endling: The Last  by Katherine Applegate

When the evil, conquering human ruler, Murdano, hunts and kills all the large, dog-like Dairne species, Byx is the only one who survives. Hoping to find a safe place and maybe the Dairne’s mythical homeland, Byx sets off on a dangerous, exciting adventure filled with new friends like Tobble, a wobbyk.  I love, love, love this uniquely imagined fantasy world about friendship, differences, betrayal, and family.

The Dragon with a Chocolate Heart  by Stephanie Burgis

FANTASY (series)

After a food mage turns Aventurine, a dragon, into a human using a magical chocolate drink, she develops a passion for chocolate.  Unrecognized by her dragon clan, Aventurine travels to the nearest city to apprentice herself to a chocolate shop. She’s a brave, adventurous girl who makes her chocolate dreams come true with help from a new friend and kind employers. Will she be as brave when her dragon family attacks the town? Enjoyable from the first page, this fantasy book is a delight to read.

The Ruins of Gorlan: Ranger’s Apprentice  by John A. Flanagan

Will is apprenticed to become a Ranger, a job he’s unsure about. But as he develops a relationship with his master and learns what being a Ranger is all about (spying for the kingdom), he begins to embrace his new life. When an old enemy of the kingdom sends out dangerous beasts to attack Will’s master, Will is instrumental in getting help and killing the creatures.  Action, fantasy, adventure, friendship, excellent writing  — this book has it all! One of the best 5th grade books in a series, especially for boys.  BOX SET

A Tale of Dark and Grimm   by Adam Gidwitz

This  book is bloody and macabre and an excellent, imaginative story that weaves Hansel and Gretel with eight more  Grimm fairy tales.  Hansel and Gretel abandon their terrible parents in order to find better ones –ones that won’t try to kill them. The narrator, a strong, quirky voice, warns us of the bloody things to come. While he’s sometimes distracting, for the most part, I liked how his snarky voice kept me from getting too freaked out by the gruesome parts. Once in the wild forest, Hansel transforms into a ravenous, hunter-beast, and Gretel continues on her own.

Dungeon Club Roll Call  by Molly Knox Ostertag, illustrated by Xanthe Bouma

REALISTIC  /  GRAPHIC NOVEL

8th grader Olivia and her best friend Jess love the tabletop RPG game  Dungeons and Dragons .  Jess is a loner and only wants one friend Olivia, their Dungeon Master. But when Olivia starts a D&D club, Jess gets mad that Tyler joins. She is mean to him and kills him in the game. (Jess didn’t like Tyler because in 6th grade, to avoid being called gay, he said they were going out.) Jess’s father helps her see the power of friends to fight monsters and she apologizes to Tyler and makes room for more friends in her life. A great life lesson, stunning artwork, a tabletop RPG game, what’s not to love!?

Dealing with Dragons  by Patricia C. Wrede

FANTASY 

We loved this series so much we read it twice for a  bedtime story !  You’ll love the strong female main character, a princess named Cimorene who doesn’t want to live the typical princess life.  She leaves her home to apprentice herself to a dragon. Just for fun. No prince rescuing involved, thank you very much. Then she must help save her dragon from a group of evil wizards. We LOVE and highly recommend these 5th grade books.  BOX SET

Saving Fable  by Scott Reintgen

Book lovers — don’t miss this wildly imaginative story about a girl named Indira who has always wanted to be chosen to go to the Protagonist Preparatory, a school for side characters and protagonists  where they hope one of the Brainstormers will introduce them to an author. As we become acquainted with this creative world where (book)Marks and DogEars roam the streets, the story grows into an exciting adventure and puzzling mystery — because someone is using dangerous magic that will damage the world of stories forever. Enchanting and unique.

Wings of Fire  by Tui T. Sutherland

A group of dragonets who might be the long-awaited dragonets of the prophecy that will end the dragon wars for good leave their protectors’ safety only to be captured by a cruel dragon faction. One thing’s for sure:  when the dragonets are captured, things don’t look good for their safety and future.   One of the most popular 5th grade books.

Gregor the Overlander  by Suzanne Collins

One minute Gregor and his little sister are in New York City, and the next, they’re in the Underland — where insects and Rats are as large as humans. But all Gregor wants to do is return home…until he learns that his missing father might be in the Underland as a captive of the Rats.  He’s a very good big brother so he makes sure his (darling) toddler sister can go with him before he leaves with a group of human and animal allies to search for his dad. Oh, and he’s meant to fulfill a prophecy, too.

The Adventurers Guild  by Zach Loran Clark and Nick Eliopulos

Zed and Brock don’t want to be chosen for the Adventurers Guild. Nobody does.  Unlike the mages or merchants guild, the adventurers must leave the safety of their walled city to fight the monsters who live on the outside.  Unfortunately, Zed and Brock are picked as Adventurers. And before they can finish training, Zed, Brock, and others are sent on a outside the city fact-finding mission that uncovers treachery, fiendish beasts, and Zed’s untapped magic. Imaginative world-building, intriguing plot twists, and complex characters kept me enthralled from page one!

Chronicles of Narnia   by C. S. Lewis

I think you already know about these amazing 5th grade books in the Narnia series but if you don’t, they’re absolutely  engaging fantasy adventures  that will hook your kids into reading, especially  The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe .

Warriors  by Erin Hunter

A house cat discovers wild cats who live in four clans near his house.  He leaves his home to join the ThunderClan and becomes Firepaw, an apprentice warrior. Just in time, too. Because the ShadowClan wants to take their land. Firepaw will be needed to find the traitor and protect his new family. Excellent writing and adventure make this 5th grade book series hard to put down. Boxed set  here . 

Charlie Hernandez and the League of Shadows by Ryan Calejo

Charlie Hernández’s house burns down, his parents go missing, and he is sent to a foster home. But it’s when he grows HORNS, the WINGS, and meets the MYTHS in real life — like calacas, mukis, and El Justo Juez — that he’s freaked out. Fortunately, a persistent classmate Violet Rey (also his crush) helps Charlie follow the clues to discover what happened to his parents and if he’s the prophesied Morphling who is meant to save the world. I highly recommend Charlie Hernández and the League of Shadows by Ryan Calejo — it’s  immediately engaging with the perfect balance of action, dialogue, & writing.

Skyborn Sparrow Rising  by Jessica Khoury

Ellie is an orphan Sparrow girl in a world of avian-human caste system who flees the orphanage so she can compete for a coveted spot in the knight training school. She travels with a group of thieves and their friendship and adventures open her eyes to who is actually honorable and heroic. She also discovers that the stolen gargol eye has powerful healing properties.  This fantasy adventure checks all the boxes with a courageous main character and complicated companions, an interesting world, and lots of surprises.

Keeper of the Lost Cities  by Shannon Messenger

FANTASY / ADVENTURE

I stayed up all night to finish this book –it was fantastic! Twelve-year-old Sophie has never quite fit into her life. And Sophie has a secret—she’s a Telepath, not a human. She must leave the human world for the Elvin world where she’ll face danger from both worlds. Her only hope is to regain the memories of her past.

The Land of Stories   by Chris Colfer

An addictive series you won’t be able to put down!  Fairy tales  come alive when Alex and Conner (brother and sister) are trapped in the fairy tale world. Their only way home is to find the ingredients for a Wishing Spell. Finding them will be dangerous, mysterious, and life-changing. The characters are memorable, unique, and familiar all at the same time. Kids love these books. (So do I.)  BOX SET HERE.

Kelcie Murphy and the Academy for the Unbreakable Arts by Erika Lewis

Fast-paced with Celtic mythology, read about a foster child attending a magical school and searching for answers about her mysterious heritage.  Kelcie is a foster kid raised in the human world. At the Academy, she discovers that she’s a mistrusted elemental called a Saiga, a mistrusted elemental, and finds friends who help her learn about her unique powers. They’ll also fight the monsters who continue to attack Kelcie. 

Harry Potter series  by J.K. Rowling

The best-selling children’s book of all time, this is a MUST READ for so many reasons: the brilliant storytelling, a complex and entertaining plot, relatable characters, rich language, essential life lessons about friendship, magic, and bravery, and more. ( See all my reasons for reading Harry Potter. )  Harry Potter gets kids excited about reading; it’s compelling and amazing.  I can’t say enough good things about it!!

Science Fiction

A Wrinkle in Time   by Madeline L’Engle

A Wrinkle in Time  is a remarkable, well-written adventure in space  that deals with the overarching theme of good vs. evil. Meg and her brother, Charles Wallace, and friend, Calvin, set off to find her scientist father who disappeared while researching tesseracts. I’ve read this book so many times, I can’t count and every time it’s just as fantastic. Box set  here

SCIENCE FICTION

Lacey finds an unusual, half-destroyed cat baku and rebuilds it using a 3D printer and found parts. When her baku Jinx starts to work, he’s noticeably different than the others because he can speak into her mind and think for himself! When she starts competing with other kids at her prestigious school in the battle of the bakus, Jinx doesn’t follow the rules, which leads to two bad things — Jinx’s capture and the discovery of a sinister truth about the MONCHA company. Fantastic, fast-paced, and thought-provoking.

Sanity and Tallulah are two good friends who live on a space station. Sanity is a brilliant inventor — but her newest (illegal) creation, a three-headed kitten named Princess Destroyer of Worlds has escaped and is living up to her name — destroyer. The friends look for their missing kitten but instead discover a big problem that will destroy the space station only it’s not caused by the kitten. While the station is evacuated, the friends work hard to stop the duct weasels and the engine from overheating. I love the space station setting, the super-smart problem-solving main characters , and the non-stop action.

by James Ponti

SCI-FI (Paranormal)

Molly’s recruited to hunt zombies in New York City, just like her mother, who is dead. Or is mom actually a zombie? Molly glimpses someone who looks just like her mother, only she’s a zombie. This is a great action-adventure-mystery book series for 5th graders.

Masterminds

SCI-FI (series)

Eli and his friends discover that their utopian town is a large-scale, illegal science experiment to determine if kids cloned from criminal masterminds can be good when raised in the right environment. Eli and his cloned friends know they can’t stay in their town of lies anymore but how can they escape when the minute they reach the border, they experience violent pain and guards surround them? And if they do escape, what will they next? My kids and I couldn’t put this book down –it’s an amazing, action-packed adventure.

Gorgeous artwork sets the tone for an otherworldly story. The five worlds are falling into chaos. When one world attacks another, Oona Lee, a girl who is a sand dancer, rescues two boys and the three determine to lit the unlit Beacons and save the worlds. But, they face a dark force that comes with a devastating betrayal. See the artwork from 5 Worlds on their Tumblr page here . ( I mentioned this on Instagram but this book enticed my daughter with a chronic illness who hasn’t felt well enough to read in months to read!! )

This exciting series makes the zombie apocalypse sounds like a fun adventure.  Jack and his best friend, Quint, live in an upgraded, well-defended treehouse where they plan to first rescue his crush June (she doesn’t need rescuing being quite capable) and then fight zombies. Illustrations throughout make this even more appealing to read and imagine. Delightful. Who would have thought?!  BOXED SET HERE.

Realistic Fiction

Olive is upset when she learns that a classmate can’t afford the fees for a class field trip. Her aunt suggests that Olive organize a protest. She does research at the library and ends up doing a petition and a sit-in. Unfortunately, no one else seems to care so Olive spontaneously runs for student council — which offends her friends — but she learns about other big issues students face that should be changed and works hard to make a difference. Readers will see that one girl CAN make a difference! Engaging, inspiring, and perfect for the world right now.

All Four Stars  by Tara Dairman

Food-enthusiast Gladys is suffering in a house of microwaving parents.  Gladys not only appreciates quality food, but she also loves to cook,  and  wants to be a food critic. (She already has lots of practice writing her daily notes about her parents’ horrid creations.) When a mix-up in a writing contest has the editors of a paper thinking she’s an adult, can she actually write a published newspaper review without letting anyone know she’s only 10-years-old? We LOVE this series!

New Kid   by Jerry Craft

This graphic novel is the  Newbery winner for 2020 !  Jordan’s parents make him go to a private school across town where he’s one of the only kids of color.  Besides having the tricky business of navigating friendships, he now must deal with the two separate worlds of his neighborhood and his school along with racism and balancing academics with his artwork. This story feels truthful, relatable, and important.

The Penderwicks   by Jeanne Birdsall

The Penderwick family embarks on a  summer vacation  on the estate of Arundel.  It’s a magical time of imaginative play, family time, and a new friend — Jeffrey, the son of the estate owner. I love the unique personalities of all the sisters, their adventures, and the nostalgic feel of the long summer days spent together in play.

Awkward  by Svetlana Chmakova

My daughter found this  graphic novel  SO RELATABLE — just like she struggles with confidence and speaking up, so does the main character, Peppi.  This well-done graphic novel tackles the issues of friendships and confidence , among other things.

Ghost  by Jason Reynolds

Ghost accidentally gets on a track team and it’s life-changing.  His coach becomes a mentor and father figure who pushes Ghost to take responsibility for his mistakes (stealing sneakers) and to start dealing with the ghosts of his past. Well-written and hopeful about growing up and growing into yourself.

Out of My Mind  by Sharon M. Draper

Just because Melody can’t walk or talk due to cerebral palsy doesn’t mean she isn’t smart — and she is smart! She’s just sick of people thinking she’s dumb and wants out of the trap of her mind. She finds a way to communicate but is still treated poorly by her peers. Realistic, sometimes very painful, and important for everyone to read.  GREAT  class  book or book club  book.

Smile  by Raina Telgemeier

REALISTIC / GRAPHIC NOVEL

Raina shares her growing up stories with humor and amazing art in her memoir books:  Smile, Sisters,  and  Drama . My 10-year-old daughter read  Sisters  four times the first week she owned it – they’re excellent books and quite addictive. Boxed set  here .

The Crossover  by Kwame Alexander

REALISTIC / VERSE

Because this is written in  verse , this is a fast read but packs a big punch.  Basketball  player and twin Josh narrates his life in quarters, just like the game he plays. He writes about missing his twin when his twin, Jordan, gets a girlfriend; about getting in trouble when he hits Jordan in the face with a basketball; and about watching his father as his heart fails. This is a coming-of-age, gripping story about a boy who is just trying to figure out who he is.

Front Desk  by Kelly Yang

Mia and her parents have struggled ever since moving to America from China. When her parents take a new live-in job at a motel, they end up working around the clock for very little pay. Mia helps out by working at the front desk. She befriends the weekly tenants and uses her English skills to write letters advocating for other people in tough spots.  This book is more than a memorable coming-of-age immigrant story, it’s also an important novel about tolerance and diversity.  6th graders will love the writing, the characters, the plot, and the messages of inclusion and determination.

The Vanderbeekers of 141st Street  by Karina Yan Glaser

Like The Penderwicks, you’ll fall in love with this quirky, wonderful family from the first page. The Vanderbeekers’ landlord wants them out by the end of December but the Vanderbeeker kids are determined to change his mind, even though he hates noise, kids, and their family. But it’s almost Christmas and their efforts are only making things worse. What will they do?  Charming and heart-warming.

The One and Only Ivan  by Katherine Applegate

Narrated by a gorilla named Ivan, this story about friendship, love, and compassion grabs your heart immediately.  Making it even more compelling, it’s  true ! Ivan is kept in a cage in a run-down mall for 27 years without seeing another gorilla. He’s friends with the stray dog named Bob, a full-grown elephant named Stella, and Ruby, a newly purchased baby elephant. When Stella begs Ivan to make sure Ruby doesn’t grow old in their cages, Ivan finds his courage.

The Friendship Code #1 Girls Who Code  by Stacia Deutsch

Lucy joins a  coding club so she can make an app  for her uncle to remember his medications. But the class is moving TOO slow. Then, a mysterious letter arrives on her locker with instructions in code. The subsequent messages in code put her back in touch with old friends and help her build a new friendship. Whoever is sending messages is teaching Lucy and her friends about input/output, conditionals, loops, and variables.  To solve the mystery, the girls decide to write their own code…

Unusual Chickens for the Exceptional Poultry Farmer  by Kelly Jones, illustrations by Katie Kath

MAGICAL REALISM

We loved this 5th grade book series. The book is written as letters from a girl named Sophie, who is newly living at the farm of her deceased great-uncle Jim. She writes to her dead abuelita, her dead great-uncle Jim, and Agnes of the Extraordinary Chickens catalog. While her parents are figuring out their new lives, Sophie figures out the farm. Specifically, the  magical chickens who seem to have telekinesis, invisibility, and carnivorous chicks . But a neighbor chicken thief is also interested in Jim’s chickens, too — and Sophie must stop her. Exceptional writing, characterization, and plot.

Wonder  by R. J. Palacio

Wonder   helps us see compassion, empathy, and acceptance from a variety of character’s points of view.  Auggie, a boy with a facial difference, starts public school for the first time in 5th grade. His experience, though often difficult, shows his inner strength. This beautiful story shows that kindness wins over bullying.

Framed! A T.O.A.S.T. Mystery  by James Ponti

Captivating from the first page, 12- year old Florian Bates uses his brilliant, observing brain to implement T.O.A.S.T. (the Theory of All Small Things) to notice things that others have missed.  Including the FBI when there’s an art heist at the museum his mother works at. The FBI hires him to help unravel a mysterious art heist which he does with the help of his best friend, Margaret. Fast-paced and interesting.,

The Magic Misfits  by Neil Patrick Harris and Alec Azam, illustrated by Lissy Marlin and Kyle Hilton

Carter’s had a rough life, even now after he runs away from his crook of an uncle and lands in a New England town. There he encounters unsavory carnival people who remind him of his uncle. At the town’s magic shop, Carter meets a young girl and her fathers who love magic just like him.  He and his new kid friends set out to thwart the carnie’s plot to steal the world’s biggest diamond.  And maybe in the process, his luck will turn around. Through the book are ciphers, codes, and tricks giving this already delightful story extra oomph.

Winterhouse  by Ben Guterson, illustrated by Chloe Bristol

Elizabeth, an orphan, is unexpectedly sent to a large, stately hotel with a kind, grandfatherly proprietor for Christmas vacation. There,  she discovers a magical book, a sinister couple, a family mystery, and a new friend who loves puzzles as much as she does.  The writing is mesmerizing, the mystery fascinating, and the characters, enchanting. This is a delightful, atmospheric read.

Eddie Red Undercover Mystery in Mayan Mexico  by Marcia Wells

Eddie, his best friend Jonah, and his parents are on vacation in Mexico.  When Eddie’s dad becomes the primary suspect in the theft of a stolen Mayan mask, Eddie and Jonah decide to solve the mystery themselves.  Only they don’t speak Spanish very well and there’s more to this mystery than just a stolen mask. You’ll love the Spanish words throughout, the well-paced action, and the characters.

Girl’s Best Friend (A Maggie Brooklyn Mystery)  by Leslie Margolis

Maggie loves walking dogs in her neighborhood (even though her parents don’t know) so when dogs go missing, she knows she must find the culprit.  The clues lead her to suspect her friend and secret crush, Milo. Maggie’s determined to solve the case but what if she doesn’t like what she finds?

Middle School: The Worst Years of my Life

Rafe’s goal in middle school is to break every single rule. You can imagine how his plan will go, right? Filled with cartoon-like illustrations, this story will crack you up. BOX SET HERE .

Anyone But Ivy Pocket

I read many parts out loud to my kids while I was reading this book; they were just so funny!! Now my kids are addicted to this series, too. Quirky but lovable Ivy’s adventures involve a sinister ghost, a mystical jewel, and a surprising destiny.

Origami Yoda by Tom Angleberger

HUMOR / MAGICAL REALISM

A funny but poignant story of middle-school angst and discovery! Unpopular Dwight can make origami Star Wars characters. When his puppet of Yoda comes to life, just like Yoda, the origami Yoda is wise and helpful during the many trials of 6th grade.

The Worst Class Trip Ever  by Dave Barry

While on a class trip to Washington D.C., Wyatt and his best friend, Matt, are positive they’ve discovered a plot to blow up the White House.  Wyatt’s crush, Suzanna, helps the friends make a plan, and as you can imagine, disaster and hilarity strike. I totally loved this book and know your kids (especially those who like humor) will as well.

Belly Up  by Stuart Gibbs

MYSTERY / HUMOR

Was the FunJungle’s hippo murdered? Teddy and Summer think so. M ystery, adventure, and humor will keep your readers on the edge of their seats  in this unique story with quirky characters perfect for 10-year-old readers.

Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library by Chris Grabenstein

Kyle and a few classmates win a sleepover at the town’s newly created library by game-creator Mr. Lemoncello. The silly Mr. Lemoncello devises a fun way to get OUT of the library — you can only get out if you solve the puzzles around the entire library. Will the kids work together or will it be every child for himself? Kids can’t put this literary adventure book down, nor it’s the subsequent books in the series.

Explorer Academy: The Nebula Secret  by Trudi Trueit

This is National Geographic’s first fictional book series with full-color illustrations that hits the spot with an exciting mix of science, technology, adventure, and mystery.  Newly accepted into the prestigious  Explorer Academy  for science and exploration, Cruz realizes that someone is trying to kill him; someone who doesn’t want him finding out about his mother’s mysterious research and untimely death.  You’ll love the cool tech, amazing friendships, plot twists, and the intriguing premise.

The Unforgettable Logan Foster  by Shawn Peters

Logan is an amazing, neurodivergent main character orphan who lives at a new foster home.  Logan and his neighbor, a super cool older girl named Elena, discover that his foster parents are lying and they’re superheroes.  But when that revelation sinks in, Logan’s foster parents are double-crossed and captured. In an exciting, fast-paced adventure, Logan and Elena use his wits and her strength to save his foster parents and other supes from the villains and the traitor.

Minecraft: The Island (An Official Minecraft Novel Book 1)  by Max Brooks

Reader recommended! In this first adventure, Z is stranded on an island in Minecraft and must unravel its secrets in order to survive. *** GET ALL 9  OF THE MINECRAFT BOOKS IN THE SERIES HERE.

Treasure Hunters  by James Petterson and Chris Grabenstein, illustrated by Juliana Neufeld

ADVENTURE (series)

The life of the four Kidd siblings isn’t typical —  they live on a boat, and their parents are treasure hunters . Unfortunately, not only is their mom missing but their father went overboard in a bad storm. Now they’re on their own and need money to survive. The only way they know is to find a treasure and sell it. But danger is around every wave; they’re not sure who to trust. This is a fast, action-packed adventure that sets the tone for more books to come.

Choose Your Own Adventure 4-Book Boxed Set  by R.A. Montgomery

Get a box set of four bestselling titles from the classic  choose your own adventure  series! Young readers still love these books!

The Doll People

After discovering her missing aunt’s diary, Annabelle Doll can’t stop wondering about what happened and is determined to find out — even at the risk of becoming “Permanent.” Will she leave the safety of her family’s dollhouse to find her aunt? Kids love this exciting adventure of the dolls in a dollhouse who  are real and do come to life when we’re not watching. Box set here .

Nightmares!

FANTASY ADVENTURE

Charlie’s dad has remarried and moved Charlie and his younger brother into the stepmother’s frightening purple mansion. There, Charlie begins to have the most horrible nightmares — nightmares that blur the boundaries between reality and dream. When witches from the nightmare world steal Charlie’s brother, Charlie and his friends must face their fears in order to save both Charlie’s little brother and the entire awake world. Hard to put this story down, this is an enthralling book choice for upper elementary school readers.

City Spies  by James Ponti

When Sara, a foster kid and hacker, gets in trouble again, her new so-called lawyer recruits her to be an MI6 spy.  Sara joins a team of other kids, trains quickly, and is immediately sent undercover to break open a big case in Paris. I don’t want to spoil anything but I predict you’ll  love every second of this action-packed story! It’s filled with great characters and an interesting twisty plot.  You won’t be able to put this book series down.

Charlie Thorne and the Last Equation  by Stuart Gibb

The CIA asks a super genius 12-year-old girl named Charlie to help find the missing and dangerous “Pandora” theory of Einstein’s.  You will fall in love with Charlie—she’s a creative thinker and a survivor who, despite all her knowledge still can act like a child yet also outwit bad guys in amazing ways. Terrorists, Moussed, cross-world travel, and mathematical clues combine with excellent writing to make the perfect action-adventure spy 5th grade book.

Historical Fiction

The War That Saved My Life

HISTORICAL FICTION

Ada and her brother escape their mother’s abuse when the London children are evacuated during WWII and go to live with a grieving woman in a small country town. It’s difficult for both the woman and children to trust, but slowly the trust grows and all three regain something lost –hope and love. 

Set in the Martha’s Vineyard community of Chilmark with a high percentage of deaf individuals, Mary’s a smart girl who speaks sign language. But a researcher kidnaps Mary as a live specimen and imprisons and studies her. Even worse, she can’t communicate with anyone because no one else speaks sign, and Mary doesn’t have access to a pencil and paper. Eventually, she gets a chance to write a message and makes it back home with help. 

Dactyl Hill Squad  by Daniel Jose Older

HISTORICAL FICTION (+ FANTASY)

Take a thrilling ride through Civil War history — with DINOSAURS!  In this exciting adventure with diversity, slavers kidnap most of the orphans in NYC’s Colored Orphan Asylum but the small group of kids that escapes to join with the Vigilance Committee to fight back and rescue their kidnapped friends.

Lost in the Pacific, 1942: Not a Drop to Drink  by Tod Olson

Lost  is a riveting retelling of  a soldiers’ plane crash followed by  weeks  of thirst and starvation  in the perilous South Seas on precarious lifeboats. The fast-paced writing moves the story along with purpose and the photographic evidence is fascinating. 10-year old readers will be hard-pressed to put this intense true story down. (Next in the series:  Lost in Outer Space: The Incredible Journey of Apollo 13 .)

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The Encounter That Put the Pianist Kelly Moran on an Unexpected Path

The 36-year-old musician helped introduce the prepared piano to fresh audiences. Amid personal upheaval, she abandoned it and found a new voice.

By Grayson Haver Currin

As spring 2022 bloomed, Irena Wang emailed the pianist Kelly Moran to ask for a mixtape.

They had briefly met just days before — at the funeral of Wang’s partner of seven years and Moran’s high-school sweetheart in the little Long Island town where they grew up. He had died from an accidental overdose, eight months after becoming a father.

“He was my first love, my first heartbreak, my first everything,” Moran remembered one evening after dark in Yamaha’s sprawling Midtown Manhattan piano studio in early February, a week before she turned 36. “I saw his widow and infant son, and it was one of the saddest moments of my life.”

Wang’s husband, Damian, had always bragged about Moran, and even accompanied Wang to see her play with Oneohtrix Point Never in Los Angeles. After the funeral, Wang sent her an email: “I really want to know you, but I need some time. Can you maybe recommend some music?”

Moran dumped 28 albums into Dropbox. That stylistic tangle — the serene throb of Gas’s “Pop,” the mesmeric pull of John Adams’s “The Dharma at Big Sur,” the magnetic oddities of Broadcast’s “Tender Buttons” — was the tentative first step of what became a friendship between Moran and Wang, and is now a family. Late last year, they moved in together; with Luka, Wang and Damian’s son, the members of this unorthodox trio have empowered one another past the shadow of grief.

“So much in my life has been very focused on myself. Being an artist is narcissistic because you’re indulging your instincts,” Moran said. “But now with my family, it feels so good to be useful to other people, to have community. Music gets its potency from sharing, from having community.”

That chemistry became the crucial final component for Moran’s “Moves in the Field,” due March 29, a softhearted but steel-skinned set of 10 piano pieces that are as rapturous as a waterfall or as delicate as vapor. Her first album in six years, it is the redemptive conclusion in an extended span of personal tragedy and professional doubt, all ingrained in its sweeping songs.

Moran stumbled into her breakthrough, “Ultraviolet” from 2018, during an acid trip while house-sitting for her parents. She had been wrestling with a difficult commission for the toy pianist Margaret Leng Tan and needed time out of mind. She swallowed three hits disguised as SweeTarts and romped outside through the woods, and then sat down at her childhood piano — prepared with screws and bolts interspersed among its strings, in the simplified spirit of John Cage, so the notes would have mechanical attack but also seem to float.

“I had been so stressed, but this allowed me to flow,” Moran said, her silver makeup and Smashing Pumpkins shirt sparkling in the studio light. “My brain was organizing musical information in a completely different way. I’d finish a piece, laugh hysterically, and do another one.”

Those improvisations catalyzed Moran’s career, earning her a deal with the electronic label Warp and making her a rising experimental star. The ecstatic inquisitiveness and anxious honesty of “Ultraviolet” helped introduce the prepared piano to new audiences. In 2019, she even joined FKA twigs’s acoustic band .

Moran was first paid to play when she was 11 as the accompanist for a hometown vocal instructor, and it made her realize her calling as a professional musician. After studying piano and composition in Michigan and California, she returned to New York and strung together gigs as a dance accompanist while playing in rock bands (including Voice Coils , alongside Mitski ) and investing in the city’s burgeoning noise and metal scenes. (“Black metal is just Minimalism for guitars,” she said at one point, laughing.)

With the acclaim of “Ultraviolet,” though, Moran was now jet-setting across the globe, playing major festivals by day and dancing to techno by night. She hoped to funnel the pops and plinks of her prepared piano into uncanny dance tracks, its idiosyncrasies radiating inside rhythmic loops. “I wanted to have something people could move to,” she said.

But early in 2020, Moran realized she was stuck, personally and musically. Anticipating another year of touring, she bailed on her Brooklyn apartment and moved in with her mother as her parents were preparing to divorce. The pandemic (and as a result, little income) meant she’d be staying. As a child, Moran’s relationship with her mother was fraught, so the piano had become not only a harbor but her way to be heard.

Was the prepared piano, though, forsaking her? She cut a poignant cover of Aphex Twin’s “Avril 14” with it that went viral during early pandemic days . But Moran had tried dropping acid and sliding onto its bench again in early 2020, only to realize lysergic lightning might not strike twice. “I remember being at my piano again, like, ‘All right, when’s the genius going to kick in?’” she said, laughing. “It taught me that taking a drug is not going to be the thing that gets the masterwork out of you. I was going to have to work really hard.”

The realization coincided with a special delivery from Yamaha — an upright Disklavier, a cyborg piano that is wired to play itself from memory or from a laptop’s input that a pianist can simultaneously play. As pandemic isolation escalated, Moran swooned over the loan, which allowed her to communicate with another musician: a computer-driven manifestation of herself. Since high school, being a pianist or a composer had driven her career; the Disklavier allowed her to be both.

Her pieces reflected recent trials — being sequestered with her mother, her parents’ split, a close friend’s cancer diagnosis. But as she started to commute to Yamaha’s Manhattan studio to begin actually recording with a more powerful Disklavier, she fretted that the machine’s perfection was overriding the work’s humanity, its tender center. She teased the arrangements for the better part of what proved to be a tragic and surreal year. Damian died. She made those mixtapes. And it slowly became clear that Wang was more than a late ex’s widow, but a new best friend.

“We just got to be, like, normal friends,” Wang said, recalling the delightful daytime rave that cemented their bond. “I don’t think of her as Damian’s ex often because that’s not what she was when we met. It hasn’t been the crux of our relationship for a long time.”

In the heat of the summer, Moran would sometimes string together sleepless days at Yamaha’s studios. She started recording again as autumn began, having mastered how to make the Disklavier sound more human and how to hear it like an interior map, the piano another confidant. “It’s OK to Disappear” connects declarative chords with furtive piano runs that conjure a quickened pulse, reflecting Moran’s dueling social enthusiasm and introversion. Written for two pianos, “Don’t Trust Mirrors” is a tug of war where self-confidence and self-doubt drag one another into an ouroboros.

“I would sit back at the Disklavier and hear my emotions reflected back at me,” Moran said. “I realized I needed to put that into the instrument, what I was feeling. Maybe it would heal me.”

By Halloween 2022, Moran had finished recording “Moves in the Field,” happy at last with the performances’ candor. As she and Wang plotted their move, they walked around Park Slope with Luka, then 15 months old, dressed as the Squatting Slav meme for his late father’s Slavic family. (Moran and Wang went as Pussy Riot.) Each time a stranger handed Luka candy, he gave them one in return. Moran remembers Wang smiling: “This is amazing. It’s like living again.”

Moran treasured the phrase. Two months later, it returned to her as she wrote her first professional string quartet for an English ensemble. She’d met Damian in their high school orchestra’s string section. She called it “Living Again,” dedicated it to him and began with a cello, his instrument. That first movement, Moran said, felt like watching his soul floating away, making space for what was to come.

Not long after “Living Again” premiered, Halloween returned. Moran was living with Wang and Luka. They were a family now, traipsing around Park Slope dressed as a unified trio: rock, paper and scissors.

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